Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777 | Review

The Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777 turns your chainsaw into your own portable sawmill. This is an ideal solution for turning logs into useable lumber for any of your home projects. Also known as an Alaskan sawmill, this is an excellent personal mill but don’t expect this Granberg model to be as productive as a standalone sawmill such as the Norwood LumberMate LM29. For small home projects the G777 is an excellent choice.

The Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777 requires a powerful gas chainsaw

Don’t expect to use this with an electric saw — neither corded or battery-operated. You’ll need a powerful gas chainsaw to get the most out of this Granberg Chainsaw Mill. I recommend at least 60cc, but more power is better, as it will allow you to be far more productive and efficient.

Just to give you a frame of reference, the Norwood LumberMate that I mentioned earlier has a 429cc engine. Obviously you don’t need anywhere near that amount of power but a sawmill does require a fair amount of energy to operate. Perhaps something equivalent to a Husqvarna 372 XP would be ideal.

Just remember, you can use a smaller chainsaw but the smaller the chainsaw the slower it will take to cut your lumber. It’s as simple as that.

This Granberg Chainsaw Mill is very compact, lightweight and easy to transport. It was designed to fit 20″ bars or smaller, and it will easily connect to the majority of chainsaw bars (under 20″) with no modifications. Be aware that some smaller bars could be too narrow to mount, but if your bar is at least 2.5″ wide then it will definitely fit.

If you want to want to confirm the compatibility with your chainsaw then I suggest you call Granberg directly before ordering online (800-233-6499).

Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777

Compact, lightweight and well constructed.

Granberg recommends that you use a ripping chain with their Granberg Chainsaw Mill and I strongly suggest that you take their advice. A ripping chain will extend the life your chainsaw, cut faster, make cleaner cuts and leave you with much smoother surfaces — which means you’ll have less planing to do later. Ripping chains are essentially designed for milling purposes.

Another thing to keep in mind before using the Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777 is to make sure you have a sharp chain. Many less experienced chainsaw users underestimate the importance of maintaining a sharp chain. It’s essential for optimal efficiency and for safety reasons. A dull chain is more likely to get caught in the wood. If you’re mechanically inclined then you may want to sharpen the chain yourself or you can just pay a professional to do it for you.

You can also expand the usability of the Granberg Chainsaw Mill by purchasing the Granberg Slabbing brackets. These will make your life easier.

Granberg Slabbing Brackets | G850

Very practical for making an even first cut.

What do the Granberg Slabbing Brackets do?

Well, it’s simple. These brackets are guides that ensure that the first cut of your log will be even. If you don’t know, this first cut that contains the bark is called a “slab.” This can either be used as kindling or as material for your other construction based projects or hobbies. Be creative.

The brackets are 16″ and made from aluminum. You’ll have to purchase 2 x 4’s to attach these slabbing brackets to, and they can be used with either the Granberg Chainsaw Mill G777 or their popular Granberg MK-III Alaskan Chainsaw Mill (made since 1961). The MK-III is for larger cutting and comes in a large variety of sizes to match your needs; from 24-inches, all the way up to 84-inches.

Granberg MK-III Alaskan Chainsaw Mill

Granberg MK III Alaskan Chainsaw Mill.

In Conclusion | Granberg Chainsaw Mill

The Granberg Chainsaw Mill (G777) is a highly economical way to turn logs into useable lumber for use on other home projects. The beauty of this product is in its elegant design enabling it to be quickly setup and allowing you to get to work when you need to.

The two points that I’ll stress is that it’s designed to work with a bar no larger than 20-inches. For maximum effectiveness you really need a powerful gas chainsaw. I suggest a chainsaw larger than 60cc, but you can use a less powerful chainsaw, just make sure you’re prepared to exercise your patience if you decide to go smaller.

I just want to mention a minor quibble: The assembly instructions are a little challenging to decipher, much like IKEA instructions. Just pay close attention to the photos as you assemble it and you’ll be fine.

This is a relatively inexpensive mill if your consider how much money it will save you down the road. To make your life easier and to extract as much value out of the Granberg Chainsaw Mill I recommend you purchase the Granberg Slabbing brackets and a ripping chain.

I can’t say enough good things about this product. I think I’ve said enough. The decision is now in your hands.